Activities during lunch/dinner ideas?

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amother

Tue, May 17 2022, 1:00 pm

Hi, during feeding time such as lunch and dinner what do you guys do to interact with your baby my child is almost a year old I’d like to do some stuff so far we’ve just been singing is there anything I can do more I was thinking maybe puppets? Open to any suggestions

amother

Tealblue

Tue, May 17 2022, 1:10 pm

Does your baby need distraction In order to eat?

I find my baby eats best when we are both eating at the same time so I try to
Do that

mom!

Tue, May 17 2022, 1:11 pm

Read books

amother

Fuchsia

Tue, May 17 2022, 2:08 pm

I sing davening songs. That’s the only chance I have for myself to daven anyway! Sometimes with props. Like a stuffed Torah or a colorful siddur/bencher

amother

Holly

Tue, May 17 2022, 2:16 pm

I feed my kids during mealtimes, so that means I eat along with them. No activities during mealtimes.

amother

Milk

Tue, May 17 2022, 2:18 pm

Your meal or their meal?
If their meal I will sometimes put on kids music in the background. You don’t want them to assume they need to be entertained while eating. Talking to them is also good.

amother

Seashell

Tue, May 17 2022, 2:23 pm

I never engaged my children during mealtime. We ate and shmoozed and they did too. Maybe that's why they eat so nicely now?? And sit nicely by our shabbos table?? Who knows?! But overstimulating kids is a real thing

mushkamothers

Tue, May 17 2022, 2:33 pm

I refuse to entertain kids at the table. I grew up like that every meal was a song and a dance. In my home they sit and eat, the end. Offer cutlery, real dishes and a real cup. There's plenty to be busy with. It's not healthy either to distract while eating, don't ruin your baby's Intuitive eating skills. If she's not eating then she's not hungry.

amother

Thistle

Tue, May 17 2022, 2:34 pm

My level of interaction is to make a bracha before eating, a bracha after eating, clean up if we make a mess when we eat, and ask if we want more food.

Admittedly I do rarely put on a story tape for the older kids.

amother

Tue, May 17 2022, 2:56 pm

Thanks for all the suggestions, my baby doesn’t eat anything unless distracted and he’s very picky so that’s why I need to sing to him and etc if anyone has ideas on how to feed a picky eater my ears are all open lol

amother

Birch

Tue, May 17 2022, 3:09 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Don't get her used to needing activities in order to eat, unless there's a health issue like she's failure to thrive.

Just sit and talk to her while you feed. Eye contact and talking, even if she doesn't talk back. I'm feeding you this yummy chicken. Mmm. It has onion and garlic and make just right. Mommy loves you. Daddy loves you. Babbi loves you...

amother

Birch

Tue, May 17 2022, 3:11 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

That's a different story.
I find feeding outside to be a great distraction. Also spoonfuls while splashing in the bath (I did this only for my 1 child that was failure to thrive and not growing. I didn't want food to be a power struggle and needed to get in at least one meal a day.)

amother

Tue, May 17 2022, 3:28 pm

amother [ Birch ] wrote:

Feeding outside is a great one thank you I’ll try that!